Toronto Rock limp home out of contention for a playoff berth

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Toronto Rock players left on a bus and they could have used an air ambulance as well.

A 14-8 loss to the Bandits in the 16^th game of their 18-game National Lacrosse League schedule Saturday night eliminated them from contention for a playoff berth. A 0-6 start put them in a hole and a slew of injuries buried them.

The latest casualty was Josh Sanderson, who took a hit to the head in the second quarter and had to take off the pads. When Brodie Merrill was ejected early in the fourth quarter for being assessed his second major penalty after being body-slammed to the floor in a fight with Steve Priolo, it left the Rock with only 14 runners.

A year ago, the Rock finished first overall at 14-4 and got to the championship series. It’s been an entirely different story in 2016. They are 5-11.

“It’s disappointing,” said Merrill. “We had high expectations heading into the year.

“We never thought we’d be in this position. It’s been a strange year in terms of the amount of injuries we’ve had. It’s nothing I’ve seen before. But we never want to use that as an excuse. We felt we kept playing hard, kept trying to play the right way. It just hasn’t been enough. Regardless, we just want to finish strong and represent the team the right way.”

The Rock finish with road games against Colorado and Calgary the next two Saturdays.

If Sanderson can’t go, the Rock injured list will include eight players: Sanderson, Damon Edwards, Pat Merrill, Bill Greer, Scott Johnston, Brett Hickey, Colin Doyle and Brock Sorensen, who was wheeled into the infirmary after tearing up his left knee when the Rock defeated Buffalo 12-9 in Toronto on Friday night.

“The sad thing about some of these injuries is that, for at least four of them, they might not even be playing next year,” says head coach John Lovell. “Those are nine- to 12-month rehabilitation things.”

Now Sanderson is hurt.

“It sucks,” rookie Dan Lintner said of dropping out of contention for a playoff berth. “You always want to compete for the championship.”

Besides the unavailable players, others have been playing hurt.

“Sandy Chapman has an ankle that probably needs a month to get 100 per cent,” said Lovell. “He’s playing on courage.

“Robbie Hellyer absolutely shouldn’t have played (Saturday) but he did just because he’s Robbie Hellyer. He’s a tough kid. He’s got a bad charleyhorse.”

Still, they’re giving it their all.

“It’s been a very difficult season for a lot of reasons,” says Lovell. “But I really like the character and heart of this team over the last eight or nine games.

“We’ve played with a lot of character and courage given what has transpired.”

Splitting a weekend home-and-home with the first-place Bandits, first in the NLL East at 11-5, was a testament to the work ethic that Rock players continue to display through adversity.

“We’ve got a good squad,” says defenseman Rob Marshall. “We’re not going to quit. We’re not going to throw the towel in. We’re going to battle till Game 18. We’re going to look to next week against Colorado and concentrate on them.”

“It sucks that people go down here and there but even with these last couple of games we’re going to go to win them,” adds Lintner. “We’ll have that same mindset we have going into every game.

“We’re not going in feeling sorry for ourselves. We’re going to try and pull out two wins and finish the season the right way. We may not be able to play in the playoffs but we’re representing something bigger, the Toronto Rock, so we’re going to go out there and give it our all.”

“Our guys believe in team,” Lovell said. “They believe in hard work and they believe in character. There’s always something to play for. That’s the name of the game. You don’t pack it in. You keep playing.”

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